Farming the Field

Take a look at any crap table and see where the sage old right-way players put their money. One of the most popular bets you’ll see these guys toss out is $44 inside – that’s twelve dollars on the six and eight, and ten dollars each on the five and nine. They know the inside numbers are the easiest to make, and the house edge on these numbers is less than on prop bets or Placing the four and ten.

These same players also avoid the Field bet because of the house edge. They’ll wink at the dealer and crack jokes about the IQ of the guys that play it. If a woman makes the same play they will offer some friendly advice and try to show them the error of their ways. Yet often I will watch these players lose bet after bet while the Field better fills her rack with green chips. Clearly this isn’t supposed to happen. After all, the vigorish on the standard Field bet is 5.56%, right?

Not always. The fact is, many casino’s offer a better Field bet by paying triple on the two or twelve. That one little change brings the house’s edge down to about 2.8%. Meanwhile, our $44 inside players are paying a 4% vigorish to place the five and nine. Clearly the 2.8% vig on the Field is less than the 4% on the five and nine.

The law of large numbers tells us that in this situation the Field bet should cost us less over, say, a million decisions. Of course, none of us are going to stand at the table that long, which takes us back to the other part of the law of large numbers. During that million random rolls of the dice, wide swings in expected outcome can and do occur. That can include long streaks of Field numbers – as well as long streaks of non-Field numbers.

So why doesn’t everyone play the Field? Because there is one major difference in Field bets and Place bets. The Field bet is a one-roll bet, while the place bets stay up until a seven rolls or the player takes them down. As a result, during a no-field streak, you lose more than your wallet can endure quickly when playing the Field.

Do I ever play the Field? Rarely, but on occasion – yes. From time to time I’ll use a Field bet in lieu of the higher vig World/High-Low combination on my come-out hands. I’ll also utilize a Place/Field strategy like the Iron Cross on those occasions when I want to zone in at the table and work on my toss without having to pay a lot of attention to my bets. But for the most part that action is reserved for low-limit games where I’ll place $34 inside no-five and play the field for $3 every toss. It’s really “dead-head” action that allows me to focus on breathing and zoning in.

Often you will see players with a light bankroll playing a flat bet adaptation of the above Iron Cross strategy utilizing all self-service bets. In this case you might see the player play $5 on the Field plus $5 each on the Big 6 and Big 8. This gives him a total of $15 in action and a win on any Field Numbers. He is perfectly hedged against the six and eight. His downside risk is a $5 loss to the five, or a $15 loss to the seven. This combination of “bad” bets might raise the ire of many players, yet every day a certain segment of players with modest bankrolls and reasonable win objectives make money playing this strategy.

The other popular methods of playing the Field involve utilization of any of the numerous progression or regression strategies you have in your arsenal. You know the strategies I’m talking about – the ones named after all those long-dead French and Italian mathematicians. Of course, these systems and betting strategies are fun to experiment with, but the simple fact is that without influencing the outcome of the roll there is no way to mathematically overcome the house’s edge at craps. Anyone who tells you there is – is wrong.

The smart play? Bet within your bankroll, practice good money management and discipline, limit your hedges, and focus on the bets with the lowest house edge – the Pass or Don’t Pass, and placing the six and eight. But don’t be too quick to poke fun of the Field player. There’s always a chance he could walk away from the table with more chips than you.

Dice Control Seminar DVD

Heavy's Axis Power Craps Dice Control Seminar is now available on DVD!
This is the breakthrough video that sent the competition back to the drawing board. This was first professionally produced DVD demonstrating the mechanics of a controlled dice shot. Here are a few of our customer comments on the DVD:

Heavy doesn't just tell you what to do - he SHOWS you what to do."

"The other guys promised me gold - Heavy delivered."

"Heavy has thrown another winner!"

"Fixed my toss and made me a winner."

This DVD includes the portion of the seminar that deals specifically with the mechanics of the grip and toss, along with roughly twenty minutes of tossing and coaching live at the craps table. You'll see Heavy and his students setting and throwing the dice with the camera running real time to show the results.

Altogether you'll receive almost three hours of player education featuring the best dice sets, grips, tosses, and more. In addition, we cover betting strategies, money management, discipline, focus, the mental edge, and playing the comp game to win. You'll also receive the e-versions of the seminar workbook, manuals from our other seminars, handouts and strategy cards as an added bonus. Order now and we'll also include a copy of Heavy's"Crapshooter's Buffet" audio CD - recorded live at the Las Vegas Craps Festival in 2001.

Order the Axis Power Craps Seminar on DVD via PayPal below for just $189.00 plus shipping and handling. US customers add $6 shipping and handling - $195 total. Canadian customers add $16 shipping and handling - $205 total. Order on-line via PayPal below:
APC DVD
The Axis Power Craps Clinic on DVD - it's the next best thing to being there!

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Heavy’s Axis Power Craps E-Book

Buy Heavy's Axis Power Craps Manual!
Axis Power Craps details five skill sets almost anyone can learn. Master these and you too can become a precision craps shooter. Order now and find out how!

Axis Power Craps includes betting strategies for every dice pre-set arrangement. Precision dice shooting works for both right-way and wrong-way play. Your package features an instructional 100 page workbook with dozens of photographs of dice pre-sets and grips. Each book comes with two shirt-pocket precision dice shooting strategy cards, as well as practice forms you can duplicate and use to record your rolls.
Axis Power Craps is just $19.95 in e-book format. You will receive the book via e-mail within 24 hours of making payment. The dice setting strategy cards will be sent via 1st class mail, so be sure to include your mailing address. Order on-line through PayPal at this link:

If you prefer to pay by check or money order, send your remittance to:

Steve "Heavy" Haltom
P.O. Box 7094
Tyler, Texas 75711

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Heavy is Availble for Private Craps Lessons

Looking for private craps lessons to sharpen your skills? Heavy is available for private lessons in his Craps Pit in East Texas, live in Las Vegas, Biloxi or Tunica, or right at home in the comfort of YOUR craps pit. A private lesson makes a great birthday or anniversary present and his highly recommended if you’re ramping up for an upcoming trip to Vegas.

3 hour Friends, Spouses and Significant Others Private Lesson for Two on Basic to Intermediate Craps and Dice Control - $599

6 hour Friends, Spouses and Significant Others Private Lesson for Two on Basic to Intermediate Craps and Dice Control – includes lunch - $899

8 hour “Six Pack” Group Private Lesson on Basic to Intermediate Craps and Dice Control. Up to six players can take over Heavy’s craps pit for a full-blown Axis Power Craps private seminar, including Heavy’s TrendMaster Betting Class as an added bonus. Price includes lunch and libations. Designated driver required. $595 per person with a four person minimum.

Looking for private lessons in Vegas, Biloxi, or Tunica? All classes conducted in a casino dealer school on authentic casino craps tables. You and up to six of your friends can take over the school for the day for the full Axis Power Craps private seminar – including Heavy’s TrendMaster Betting Class as a special bonus! That’s 8 hours of group time with Heavy. Price includes dealer school rental and a pizza lunch delivered to the school. $795 per person with a four player minimum. Add a live casino session with Heavy for just $100 per person more with a four player minimum. A 60 day advanced reservation is required to insure availability of the dealer school.

If you have a private table in your home and would prefer to take a class on it - private lessons are available for you as well. Final cost will depend on your location and travel expenses incurred relative to the class. A private Axis Power Craps class, including Heavy’s TrendMaster Betting Strategy training for you and up to five of your friends will likely run around $695 per person with a four person minimum. Final price will be determined at time of registration.

Please note: Classes are available on weekends only and must be booked a minimum of 30 days in advance. 60 day advance registration required for Las Vegas, Tunica, and Biloxi. Need more details? E-mail Heavy direct at axispowercraps@gmail.com with the Subject line: Private Lessons for an immediate response.

Axis Power Craps Dice

Axis Power Craps Dice!
Looking to sharpen your practice skills with regulation casino dice? Look no further. Axis Power Craps is proud to offer these beautiful 3/4 inch flush-spot, razor edge, high polished dice.
Created from an exclusive cellulose acetate formula developed to insure clarity, hardness and stability, these dice are milled to 1/10,000th of an inch and certified perfectly balanced. They are the perfect dice to take your practice sessions to the next level.
Each five-die stick is serialized and stamped with the Axis Power Craps logo. Designed with precision dice shooter practice in mind, these dice are only sold in two-stick sets containing one stick of red dice and one stick of green dice. Both sticks have matching serial numbers. Your cost? $39.99 plus $3 shipping and handling - just $42.99 total.
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